Internal-combustion engine.



(I, W, AKERMAN. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN, 1'?, 1910.

TENT' FFGE.

i i one," itniseaiennei-.Trs-

iirnnimL-'eoiiinosmon ENGINE.

.ippiicaiion nica January i7', 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.'

To di vironie 'ii 'may concern:

it known that l. Jol-in livofiiiianimx, a titiZe-n of the United States', and resident or' if'wrbnryport, county of Essex, Stole of :Snelniaelt.-7 lieve invented aii-Tiii'igrore- .nient in Yinternal -Vonibii-ition Enigmes, oil.E which the ollowin, 'eseriptioin in eonneetion with the aeeonipanying drawing, is a Speeilieation, like characters on the ilra\v-. ing reiireseiiting like pnrts.

mhis invention relates to 'that type ot eniii `which the combustion olf a charge iplosife njas. in the Cylinder utilized to i'. 'the reeiproezition of the pieton and the rotation of the connected crunk-Shaft, the beine` introi'lueed under pressure to cylinder.

ily present invention han for .its object the oiiietion of a two-eyliiider internal-cointion engine of the two-cyeie type, `the cyl- .'iers bein` opposed and, the pistone being se eonneoted with the oranti-shaft as to more in ii ison in the Seine direction.

i the present embodiment of my invention the two cylinders are rigidly eonneoted n twopart bese whieli algo constitutes the eraiilr-eaee, the base being divided into two z-,eparaie ohnn'ibers by a disk revolving with 'the ehalft, eaeli ohainber con'iinunieating with one of the cylinders in en manne; that on the outward, or eoinpresioii, stroke its pieton, a fresh charge of is drawn into lhe chamber while a previous elim-ge being compressed iii the cylinder ahead of the pision.V Un the return or working stroke, e'feted by the eonibul ion of :glieli compressed ',arire, the 'fre-:h ehiii'e'e previously drawn elininber in the brise comprese ind foi-eed into the cylinder behind the pisthe. burnt gases are driven out of 'the cylinder. through the exhaust port.

is will nppear hee'i after one piston is inaliiifig its w... liiugr A'i'ole while the other pietonis eonmref-fa'i fr' the charge in its' o vlind'r preliminary lo ignition and et the Sinne limi-f it iiilolue Aeorresponding i in "the ber-1e the fsupply o- 1a ttor .Every iillei'uale Siiolie olli a lworkin harina Ainipul et the eri, lr--iilialr r .entierro oit nir rolex, diie .to the;4

tion will be fully described in the subjoined epeeilieiition and particularly pointed outv in A the "following claims.

Figure l is a piiii'tial side elevation and vertical longitudinal seetion oi' an internaleonbustion engine einbi'idyingj one forni of my present invention; Fig. 2 is a horizont-ai see-tionall View thereof taken through the con-v ter of the crank-shaft, the latter, with the pistons :ind pieton-rods, being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a transverse see-tion on the line 3MB, Fig. 2, taken through the inner end of the left-hand cylinder and looking" low-ard the right, showing the two-piirtbase;

Fig. Liis a View in elevation of the righthand member of the two-port base, looking f. Tr. i. 'fr -fu i. diiettly at nig. 3, rig. o is a eeinral horizontal Section oi the base member, detached;

Fig. G on a smaller Scale is an inner side View of one of tfie basemeinbers.

Herein l have illustrated only so much of the engine and its; :.ippi'irtenanees as will be neeeseary to a proper understanding 'orn myA` L-.ha't'l rind shown liei'einas midway between -tlie cheek-pieces i. The shaft has bearings in alined hubs o oppositely extended. from the oi'ipoeite sides ot' the ineinbersof the twopart base, each of Said members comprising.; an internally cylindrical body 7 eloeed atits outer side and having an annular seat 8 at, its inner, open side,'tlie two open sides being` abntted withV the sente in register, iis shown in Figh 2. io receive :niugly the periphery of the dif-l; 5, thereby enabling- .-:aid dish t divide the base into 'two Separate eliainbers l, l, Fig. eerie.` of transif'eree bolts Sl rigidly connect ilie base ineinbeie, :is best `Shown in lio. l.

',lllrxe exterior oi the body 7 el each, bese member prenent opposile and parallel "dat end l'uee.-i 10, il. So arranged that. when the iueinbeia of the base are bolted together the end 'tace li) olone member will be adjacent and in the pliiiie of the end face 'il of the other n ieniber, eaifh 'fare 'il having fin extenaion atone side iorn'ied by the interni -i :'-zliewn in the tinnges rom oppoeiie Sidi. olV the baise, :ind

lhe end :faces 1l are each provided with a large elongated opening 125 tor the reception ,ot the piston rods and also serving to establish continuous'l connuunication with the inner ends o i the. cylinders, as will be re terred to hereinafter. llach body. T has formed in it a passage 14 above the opening l, and one ot' lsaid passages connnunlentes with the chamber .l5 while the other passage communicates with the chamber l in the base, said passages being shown in inll and dotted ylin/es in Fig. l, and it will be seen thereilroln that they extend in opposite directions.

The base constitutes a crank case, as will be evident, the cheelopieees 4. bearing against the opposite sides ot the base and preventing any longitudinal movement ot' the shaft, while the disk D divides the base into the two separate chambers, yet said disk revolves with the shal't and has its bearings in 'the two-part annulaiseat 8.

'l`he two cylinders and C are alike and hence onlyv one need be described in detail. Each'cylinder is open at its inner end and is provided with a lateral flange 'lo which abuts against the adjacent end faces 10 and 11 oir the base meml; ers, suitable 'clearly shown in llig. rigidly securing the cylinder flanges to the base. As shown 'two of the bolts lll connect the cylinder iang'e willi a. base flange 12, holes 12X being provided in the lal'ler for said bolts,'whilc the other two bolts ll' enter the adjacent end liace ll) of the other base member. 'l'he cyl inder casting has a bypass 1T formed i`n it, registering at one end with one of the passages 1st, while the other end of said by-pass opensI into the cylinder and forms the inlet port 18, see Fig. 1, said ports heilig opened and closed by the moving pistons, each inlet port being fully` open when the piston is at the extreme end o't its inward stroke. I

have shown the outer end of each cylinder as 1S), for cooling purposes, the explosion of the charge taking place in the outer, closed end ol the cylinder. Exhaust ports 20 are formed in the cylinders opposite the inlet ports, but of somewhat larger area, and so arranged that the moving piston opens the exhaust ports before opening the. ports 18 and closes the latter before completely closing the oxhaustports.

' Piston control o-i' the ports is not of itself broadly new, but I have herein adopted such control as itis simple and positive, and obviates the use of valve mechanism. ports 21 are made in the cylinders, exter nally connected by suitable piping 22, Fig. 2, communicating with the source of supply, not shown, of the explosive gas, said ports being located near the inner, open ends'ot the cylinders and so arranged as to be completely uncovered when the pistons are at the extreme outer yends of their strokes.'

ia cketed at Intakel Said intake ports are closed on the inward or working stroke at such a time as will permit a sutlicient quantity of the gas to have been drawnl into the cylinder for the next charge. The cylindrical, hollow pis-A H tons D, D are connected by piston-rods E, 1G with the,crank at opposite sides of the disk '5, see Fig. 2, the two piston rods working in the openings 13 ot the two members of the base, and from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, it will be evident that the two pistons move in 'unison in the same direction, so that the compression stroke of one corresponds with the working stroke of the other, and vice versa. On the outer end of each piston I provide a transverse baille 28 curved'upward toward vthe. inlet ports 1S, so that when a fresh charge is admitted to a cylinder the baille is interposed'between the opposite inlet and exhaust ports, as shown at the lett, Fig. 1. This prevents the incoming fresh charge from driving directlyiacross the' piston head to the exhaust port, and gives the Afresh charge a better opportunity to drive out the burnt gases of .the previously exploded charge.

The charge is exploded in the outer end ot each cylinder by means ot an igniteroit any suitable character, indicated at F and F', Fig. 1, and operated in usual manner, forming no'part o'l my invention.-

It will now be understood that chamber B is alwaysin communication with the inner end of cylinder G through the corresponding opening 13, and by means ot the passage 14 and by-pass 17 said chamber communieates with the outer end of the cylinder C when the inlet port 1Stherein is opened; Similarly, chamber B and the'inner end of' cylinder C are always in communication, and intermittingly said chamber and the outer end of the cylinder C communicate through the corresponding passage, 14e and by-pass 17. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the longitudinal centers of the two cylinders are laterally offset, to provide for the side by side connection of the piston-rods with'the crank 3, and practically I have two opposed engines each working alternately to rotate the crank-shaft., imparting substantially continuous power thereto.`

In operation the outward stroke of a pis; ton creates a partial vacuum in the connected chamber (B or B) of the base, and near the end of such stroke the intake` port 21 is uncovered, vka charge of the explosive medium rushing into the chamber from the v v source of supply. As the crank passesjdeadcenter the previous charge is exploded and the piston is ldri-veiulinward, closing intake port 21 and compressing` the charge in the base chamber, forcing it throughthe passage 14 and by-pass 17, and into the outer end of; the cylinder when the inlet port 18 is y uncovered by the piston near the end of its inward stroke. The completion oi the Stroke indel'.

causes: tlie proper charge to lie forced into the outer end et tl'ie Cylinder, and as the eX- haust port 20 is uncovered before the inlet port 1S is opened, and remains open until said port 18 is again closed, the `incoming eliarge elears the cylinder of tlie burnt gases therein. On tlie outward stroke the piston eon'ipresses the fresh charge in the eXplosion end et' the cylinder while it is drawing a new supply of the explosive inediuni into tlie base cl'iainber, previously described. Titus while eac-l1 piston is compressing the charge next to lie exploded it is drawing into the base eliainber a freeli supply of explosive niediuni, and t'liis supply is coinpresed by the pieton on its inward.v working stroke,

due to the explosion oi? tlie compressed charge.

lfnasniucli as tlie `two pistons perform tlieir various functions in alternation, and operate alike, tl e above description of tlie operation ot one lial't oi' the engine is sutlicient for a proper understanding oil" tlie invention.

A lng c ien intlie bane is provided for in my invention, the minstrnetion of the engine iQ Simple.` Strong and tluralile7 and 'tlie ene-ine is snioetii running' and poiveri'ul'. By int-reducing a suitalile lubricant to the bane the crank7 piston-rod connections, shai'it-bearings, and the pistons ean. be easily lubricated, the rotation oi the crank throwing` tlie'lubricant in all direetionsnpon every moving part. The disk in the annular seat S serves not only as a Separator between tlie elnnnliers B and B but it also supports tlie crank between the two piston rods eonneeted tlierewilli.

Various changes or modifications may be made by those Skilled in the art witliont departing troin'tlie spirit and scope of my invention as set `forth in tlie clain'isannexed hereto.

Having' Afully flleeeribediny inventiont what Vl rlaiin as new and desire to secure liy lietters Patent' iszl. The coinliinatioin with two opposed stationary cylinders, each cylinder lia-vinti` oppositely located inlet and exhaust portiI near tlieonter end of tlie piSton-stroke, and an intake port near the inner end ot' tlie piston stroke and connected with a source ot snpply. ay rotatable sliat'ty between tlie Cylinders and having' a single crank, pistons in tlie cylinders, operatively Connected `xwith the crank, and a elianibered base connecting' tlie inner ends of the cylinders and eonnnuuieating with tlie eylinders at tlieir inner ends, ot' a .solid revolvingdisk fixed on tlie crank between the connections internuafliato said crank and pistons and dividing' the l'iase into two permanently Separated chambers, one .tor eat-li cylinder, aV paaeage Connecting' eacli clian'ilier with tlie inlet port ot' its cylas it revolves l l l l l l l i and nirans to ignite tlie explosive chargeI when admitted to and compressed in tlie outer end of a cylinder, each piston in its reciprocalion openingand cloning tlie intake. inlet'` and Vexliaird iorts ot ite cyl `inder. Y

'2. "lie combination, willi two opposed and v`.latioinn'y rylindera, a. cliainliered liase ronifeeting their inner ends, a rotatable sliat't supported liy said base and liayinga .single crank. and pistons in tlie cylinders7 operatively sonnet-ted with tile crankJ ol' a solid disk concentrir witli the sliai't and lined on tlie crank, dividing said base into two perinanently and completely separated elianilierl eat'li eonnnnnirating nntinuously willi tlie inner end ot one oi tlxe cylinders, and meansl governed liy tlie pistons to draw a i'resli .supply o'l" explosive niediuin into a elian'ilier on ilio outward s?. roke ot tlie piston in` tlie oonnnuniratin rylinder and to torce it; into tlie outer end olE suoli cylinder on tlie nextY inward stroke.

il* ri`l1eeonilii iatioinwitli two opposed and stationary cylinders cloned at their outer ends and open at tlieir inner ends` a ronneetinr` base liayinn' two permanently separated ('lianzliers` earli ronnnnnirating rontinnously witli tlu` inner end nl a rylinder, a' piston in eafl'i rylinder` and means' -o\'- erned liy tlie pistonsl to establish temporary eonnnunieation between a rlianilwr and tlie outer end of its cylinder on tlnl inward stroke ot' tlic piston tlierein. ot a rotatable slia'tt having` a Single crank operativ-'fly ronneeted willi tlie pistons. st parattportsv in tlie cylinders' near tliri.' inner endsl and coinnninieatingr will] a supply ot' explof-iye inediuln to introdnre a charge to said chainq bers. in alternation. on tlie outward strokes oi: tlieir Corresponding' pistons, and means fixed on tlie single crank to maintain tlie permanent separation oi' tlie chalutiers in the base.

4. The combination, witli a liawe havingl an internal annularseat, a sliaii't rotatably inounted in tlie side` ot' said base and liayinje; a single crank`r a solid disk fixed on said crank and revolving in tlte :seat`r to diyide tlie liase into two permanently separate chalutiers, a stationary cylinder in continuous eonnnuniration willi eat-l1 eliainla-r, and pistons in tlie cylinders, o]nfrat'ively connected witli tlie single crank at opposite ysides o'lI tlie disk, ot' a ily-paas leading' 'l'roin eaeli eliainlier and terminating in an inlet port opening into the correspoi'iding Cylinder near its` outer end', said port being closed by the piston on tlie ont-ward stroke tliereotl and opened on the inward stroke.

In an internal-eoniliustiou engine, a`

two-part base having ailined bearingsI in tlie opposite Sides thereof and an intern'iediate, intori'ial annular seat at the abutting faces ot tire two parts oi. tlie base, a aliaft rotalnbly mounted in said beirings :1, single crank Within the base, and n solid revoluble disk fixed on. said crank andhwing its periphery fitting snugly in Said seat, to divide the base into two permanently separated chambers, coinbined'with two 0pposed 'cylinders attached to the ends of said base and eachcommunicating continuously at its inner end With :L chamber, pistons in ind having "10 the cylinders, operatively connected with the crank at opposite sides'of the disk, and

means governed by the pistons to inteimitf tingly connect each chamber' with the outer end of its cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy nzune'to ,this specification, in the prsence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN W. AKEnivifAni 1l"i/'itnesses DENIS A.. DENEEN, Jol-1N J. WALSH. 

